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When everyone’s story was out there, Marshal Lincoln leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. He stared at each of them in turn before shaking his head. “Walter, shooting Ben is attempted murder in my book. The fact you’d already hanged the man makes it even worse. Add in kidnapping, and forced imprisonment, and it's enough to land you in San Quentin for life.”
Walter shot out of his chair. “You gonna believe them over me?” He threw a glare at the both of them. “Some half-cocked cowboy nobody even knows and an injun girl who ain’t good for nothing but spreading her legs? She ain’t even good at that most of the time. Bedding her is like laying with a corpse!”
“That’s the second time you’ve said that, Walter. How exactly do you know what laying with a corpse is like?” Ben asked.
His question infuriated Walter even more. “I’ll strip the hide right off you, boy!”
Marshal Lincoln pushed off the wall and put a hand on the butt of his revolver before taking a step toward Walter. “Calm down, Walter.”
“You can’t take their story as gospel, Marshal. This needs to be decided on by a judge.”
Marshal Lincoln sighed. “The circuit judge won’t be back through here for another three weeks.”
Walter threw a sneer their way. “I’ll wait.” The smug look on his face did not last. When Marshal Lincoln crossed the room to the single jail cell and opened the door, the color bled from his face before turning so red, she was sure he would pass out from all the blood in his body pooling in his head. “You can’t possibly expect me to sit in jail until the circuit judge comes back around?”
“I do. You tried to kill someone, Walter. Twice. That’s enough to hold you.”
“And what about him?” he yelled, throwing his good arm Ben’s way. “If I’m locked up, then it's only fair he should be too.”
Marshal Lincoln held the jail cell door open wider. “He’s still recovering. I talked with Doc Tibbens this morning. He can’t sit in here and mend properly. I only have the one cell and putting you both together would be disastrous.”
“I was shot too!”
“In the shoulder. Your wound is paltry compared to his.”
“So he just gets to go free?”
The Marshal looked at Ben. “You leave town, I’ll hunt you down and chain you to the cell.”
“I don’t have plans on going anywhere anytime soon.”
The Marshal nodded and turned back to Walter. “Get in.”
It took Marshal Lincoln and several men from town to get Walter into the cell. The moment he lashed out and tried to run, Ben had pulled her away and told her to run to get help. It hadn’t taken long to find Graham Hart. He’d been sitting in front of the mercantile with his feet propped up talking to his brother. With their help, they locked Walter up screaming at the top of his lungs.
Marshal Lincoln followed them both outside and stopped at the edge of the sidewalk overhang. The sun was already sinking over the mountain. They had missed lunch.
“Will you two be staying out at Greyson’s place?”
“No,” Ben said. “We’ve imposed on him enough as it is.” He nodded down the street. “We’ll be at the boarding house.”
Marshal Lincoln told them he would be in touch the moment the circuit judge got into town and went back inside to tend to Walter, who was still yelling as if the building was on fire.
Ben put a hand to her back and motioned for her to head to the horses. “We’ll get these two settled in at the livery stable and go over to the boarding house. I want a good hot meal, a bath, and to lay my head down with you by my side.” He grinned after taking Cash’s reins in hand. “What happens after that is anyone's guess.”
She laughed. “You are still recovering. The doctor told you to take it easy.”
“Oh, I can do that.” The slow grin curving his lips lit his eyes. “Ever thought of being a cowgirl?”
She smiled at the look on his face. “I have not. Why do you ask?”
“Because I have a few lessons on riding I’d like to teach you.”
Morning Dove laughed, her imagination running wild with what he had in mind. If his riding lessons required them to both be naked, she could hardly wait.
Aaron was the first to see them. He shouted something neither of them could hear and Betsey came running out of the house a few moments later.
Ben couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so bone weary and tired. Every inch of his body hurt and he knew Morning Dove was just as tired. The moment Marshal Lincoln told them they could leave, they’d loaded up on supplies from the mercantile in Silver Falls and set out for home.
